Mom is their superstar

Behind their macho images lie thorough mamma’s boys! Bollywood heroes reveal their softer side on the occasion of Mother’s Day, talking about how their mothers have influenced them, not just through their growing years, but in their careers and adult lives.

From the all-powerful Khans —Shah Rukh, Salman, Aamir and Saif — to the younger Ranbir Kapoor, Imran Khan and others, B’town owes much to mere paas ma hain!

Shah Rukh Khan - Taking a page out of her book

Shah Rukh King Khan has often spoken of his mother, Lateef Fatima Khan, and her struggles as a widow with young children. “I have always been influenced by my mom and her teachings,” he says. “Since my father expired early it was mom who brought us up. She was a learned and a gentle woman, who had studied at Oxford. She would teach me by making the lesson fun. I was a bad student in Hindi and I flunked the tests once. Instead of scolding me as most parents do, she taught me like it was a game. Now, when I teach my kids something, I try to apply the same method. There are many such endearing moments with her that will always remain with me.”

Saif Ali Khan - Wind beneath his wings

Chote nawab Saif Ali Khan has always been close to mom Sharmila Tagore. “She is a strong lady and influenced us most during our growing years,” he says. “We were all scared of our father and hardly spoke to him but mom was always friendly. We were brought up in a traditional style and she made sure that we participated in all the religious customs and traditions. But she also gave us a lot of space. She let me make my own decisions, never interfered in my work. It’s ironical that while I was always influenced by her, today I want to be like my father!”

Ranbir Kapoor - Like mother like son

Ranbir Kapoor candidly admits that he has always been known as a mamma’s boy. “I still am a mamma’s boy!” he says disarmingly. A leading heroine in her time, Neetu Kapoor allowed her career to take a back seat to family. “My formative years were largely influenced by her as dad was busy working. I used to be afraid of him. It was always mom for us. Even today, I am told to brush my teeth every night and remove my make-up before going to bed. She still sees to it that I have my daily quota of vegetables. My sister is more like my dad. I am more like mom.”

Govinda - The face of courage

Govinda says that his mother Nirmala Devi, a well-known singer of yesteryears, has been “the strongest influence” in his life. “I remember my mother in times of happiness and sadness. She was a very strong lady who suffered a lot of hardships but never let it affect the family. Her strong demeanour and nature influenced me. There was a time when I had signed on too many films and could not cope with the pressure. I had a nervous breakdown and when my mother visited me in the hospital she said, ‘let the crown adorn your head, don’t let the head adorn the crown’. I will never forget her advice.”